


Skimble's Confession

by aspiringenjolras



Series: The Nine Lives of Broadway Jellicles [8]
Category: Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats - T. S. Eliot
Genre: I hate actors, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-06
Updated: 2016-10-06
Packaged: 2018-08-19 22:32:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8226940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aspiringenjolras/pseuds/aspiringenjolras
Summary: Skimbleshanks' crush on Tugger grows until he can't keep his feelings to himself anymore.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Jeremy and Tyler this is your fault.

_ This is it. I’m going to do it.  _ Skimbleshanks was on edge, more so than usual. His song was coming up next, and he could feel his chest tightening with excitement and nerves. Gus’s song, while fun, seemed to drag on forever, and Skimble found himself needing a distraction. Any kind of distraction. Jenny was having fun with her dad, and he couldn’t begrudge her that. But without her there to ease his anxiety and make sure he didn’t do anything stupid, he was going to continue working himself up, and would probably do something stupid. That’s how he was, although he’d never tell the tribe. Only Jenny really knew about his anxiety, although he figured others suspected.

The stupid thing this time, however, was going to be far more stupid than anything he’d ever done before.

_ I’m going to tell him.  _ Tugger was by himself, staying out of the main action of the song. It was the perfect opportunity. The night had been torture up until this point, Skimble being so torn between his frustration with Tugger and his incredibly infuriating crush on him.

_ Acceptance is the final stage of grief,  _ he thought.  _ I guess I have to get over myself.  _ That’s the kind of thing Jenny would tell him, in the kindest way possible. Tough love, that’s how she worked, no matter who she was dealing with. The difference with him is there were usually more kisses and cuddling involved. But right now, in the middle of this crisis, Jenny wasn’t there, and he had to handle it himself.  _ Here we go… _

“Hey, Tugger…” Skimble sidled up to him, not quite making eye contact. 

“What’s up, dude?” Tugger smiled widely, and Skimble could feel his heart beating faster as he smiled, probably stupidly. 

“Tonight’s getting exciting, huh?” Skimble flicked his tail nervously, trying to keep his voice steady.

“Very,” Tugger responded, not sounding very excited at all. “Your song is soon, right?”

“It’s next!” Skimble said, proudly puffing out his chest a bit. 

“I see,” Tugger said, going back to grooming himself. “Old Gus’s song is dragging a bit. Not very interesting this year.” Skimble didn’t even realize, but he must’ve made a face, because Tugger quickly added, “No offense.”

“No, no. None taken,” Skimble said with a shrug and a wave. 

“So.” Tugger looked down at Skimble with a half-lidded, bored expression. “You just felt like coming and hanging out with old Tugger?”

“Actually, I— There’s something I need to tell you.”

“Really?” Tugger raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”

“Ah,” Skimble said unintelligently.  _ I’ve got to do it now. Okay. I have a plan. I know what I’m going to say. “Tugger, I know I give you a lot of shit all the time, but I really think you’re a great cat. I was just wondering if you’d like to sit and eat together sometime tomorrow.” And then he’s going to give me that shit-eating grin with just the right amount of sincerity, and he’ll nod, and we’ll go on our merry ways. And then we’ll eat together, and we’ll spend time together every day, and then—  _

“Skimble?” 

“I, um. Tuggerimcompletelyinlovewithyou.” 

There was a long pause as Tugger seemed to understand and process the rush of words. Then his expression turned to one that was a combination of confusion, amusement, and scandalization. “...What.”

“I…” Skimble took a deep breath.  _ That didn’t come out right at all. Everything I planned just… flew out of my brain.  _

“Did you just say you were in love with me?” Tugger laughed, and Skimble could feel his face getting hot with embarrassment. 

“No!”

“No?” Tugger grinned. “Because I’m pretty sure I heard—”

“I mean, yes. I did. But that’s not what I mean—”

“So you’re not in love with me.”

“Well, no, I…”

“You....?”

There they stood, facing off, Tugger cool and relaxed, Skimbleshanks on edge and embarrassed. Finally Skimble huffed in defeat.

“That’s not how I intended it to come out. But, uh. The sentiment is the same. There. I said it.” He ducked his head, licking at his chest fur and fiddling with his collar to avoid looking at the other. 

“Well.” Tugger seemed to be evaluating the situation and what to say next. “I don’t think there’s any need to get ahead of ourselves, but I think you’re pretty swell yourself, Skimble.”

“Y-you do?” He looked up sharply, mid-lick. 

“Sure.” He grinned, but it was sincere, and Skimble’s heart hurt just seeing that smile. “But, um. Everything is okay with you and Jenny, isn’t it?”

“What? Oh, Heaviside, yes. Of course. We’ve always been very… what’s the word… open… you know…”

Tugger put a paw on Skimble’s shoulder, picking up on how tense he was getting. “Okay. Good. I’m glad to hear that. Relax, Skimble. It’s all good.”

Skimble smiled just a bit, gratefully, and relaxed just a hair. “Yeah. Yeah, thanks. I should go— get ready for my song.”

“Alright.” Tugger patted him on the back as Skimble turned to go. “See you after. Maybe we’ll eat together tomorrow!” he called after him.

“What?!” Skimble whipped back around, shocked.

“Go!” Tugger laughed, waving off the other’s surprise. “I’ll be cheering for you!”

Skimble hurried off, bristling with anticipation not just for his number but for whatever the next day with Tugger would bring. And he smiled, puffing out his chest, feeling like a weight had been lifted.  _ Jenny is  _ not  _ going to believe me when I tell her... _

**Author's Note:**

> This fic does't quite fit into the timeline I've established in this series, but it definitely fits in the Broadway universe, so it's going here. Long story short, after the evening show on October 2nd, Jeremy asked me if I had been at the matinee. When I told him I hadn't been, he went on to say that he had been wondering because Skimble "professed his undying love for Tugger". I honestly thought he was joking but he wasn't, and when I asked Tyler about it, he said that it happened during the Pekes and the Pollicles, and then again during Skimble's song. My ship, which I built from the ground up, which they associate me with, literally became canon. I was so pissed that I missed it but Tyler said to let him know when I was back, and they would do it again. So until I see it with my own eyes, and know more details, this fic happened.


End file.
